New Granting Opportunity: Distance Learning & Telemedicine Program

USDA has also announced two Funding Opportunities for the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant (DLT) program. One is for the program that has been operated annually (referred to as “Traditional DLT”) and one is for projects related to prevention, treatment, or recovery for opioid use disorder in rural areas (referred to as “Opioid DLT”). Applications under the Traditional DLT program must be submitted by May 15, 2019, while those under the Opioid DLT program must be submitted by April 15, 2019.

The traditional DLT program helps rural communities use the unique capabilities of telecommunications to connect to each other and to the world, overcoming the effects of remoteness and low population density. For example, this program can link teachers and medical service providers in one area to students and patients in another.

In March 2018, Congress explicitly appropriated an additional funding for the DLT Program to help address the opioid epidemic in rural America. Approximately half of this funding was awarded in FY 2018 to DLT projects that had opioid treatment as their primary purpose. For the remaining funds, the Agency is soliciting applications that specifically support treatment for, and prevention of, opioid use disorder in rural areas under the Opioid DLT program. Applications submitted under this announcement should address how they will strengthen local capacity to address prevention, treatment, and recovery.